A Comparative Study of Open-Access Websites for Autonomous Learning of English

Abstract

Computer-assisted language learning (CALL) benefits from undeniable steps forward such as the use of authentic materials, real communicative contexts and the ubiquity of learning. However, to discriminate the quality of digital resources for autonomous language learning from a critical perspective is not an easy task due to its diversity. This article offers the evaluation of a selected set of open-access and institutional websites for the learning of English as a Second Language (ESL) as the result of a research project for which expert-validated tools have been used. The statistical analyses carried out offer interesting data on the highest- and lowest-ranked ESL sites from both technical and academic viewpoints related to the quality of the resources offered. The conclusions address at a valuable contribution to the orientation of autonomous learning as an inherently human activity, but which nowadays still needs professional guidance and support.